Fate?
by Millemini
Summary: AU story. Auggie-a computer engineer, and Annie-a freelance translator, meet at a local diner. Annie's having computer troubles and Auggie offers to help. They instantly bond, despite their vastly different backgrounds. NOW COMPLETE
1. Random Encounter

**So... I'm starting another AU story. This idea has been in my head for a while, but I wanted to finish 'Tech support meet Translations' before staring another story.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs. The closest I get is DVD's and a signed pic of Chris Gorham.**

* * *

**Anne Catherine "Annie" Walker**

_Freelance translator and world traveller. Grew up as an army brat and have never really settled down anywhere._

**August "Auggie" Anderson**

_Self employed computer engineer. Blinded in a car crash about five years ago. Grew up with four older brothers in a tight knit family in Glencoe, Illinois._

**Stuart "Stu" Heatherton**

_Auggie's right hand man and eyes at work. Have been friends with Auggie since college, helped keep the company going while Auggie was recovering after his accident._

* * *

**1: Random Encounter**

Auggie Anderson sat at his usual table at his neighborhood diner, waiting for his lunch to arrive when a string of curses from the booth behind him hit his ears.

"Damn piece of crap computer…" was all he caught before the waitress arriving with his meal caught his attention.

"Here you go Auggie. Burger at 10 o'clock, fries at six and bowls of mustard and ketchup at two and three."

"Thanks Maddie," he said as he located a fry and dipped it in the ketchup. He focused on his meal and he was about halfway through his burger when another string of curses hit his ears. He didn't manage to stifle a laugh and a seconds later he heard footsteps approaching

"What the hell is so funny?" an angry female voice to his right almost shouted.

"What?" Auggie turned in her general direction.

"You heard me. What are you laughing about? Me?"

"Uh, sorry. I just haven't heard a woman curse like that for a while. Reminded of my cousin."

"Oh…" She sounded a bit deflated. "It's just that I'm not very good with computers and my laptop is acting up and I've got this deadline to meet and if I don't meet it I don't get paid and I cant pay my rent…."

"Whoa, slow down there," Auggie said with a smile.

"Oh, sorry. I'm rambling. I'll let you get on with your meal."

"If you want I'll take a look at your computer and see if I can't sort out the problem, so-to-speak."

"Huh?"

Auggie grasped his cane off the seat next to him and held it up.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize…" her voice trailed off.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Auggie Anderson," he said as he held his right hand out in her direction. He was soon rewarded with a firm handshake from a soft female hand.

"Annie Walker. Nice to meet you Auggie. So, you're a computer geek?"

"Computer engineer. My office is just down the block if you want me to take a look at your computer."

"Your boss wouldn't mind?"

"Since I'm my own boss I'm sure he won't mind," Auggie replied with a smirk. "Give me a few minutes to finish my lunch and we'll head over there. Feel free to join me."

"Thanks, I'd really appreciate it. I'll just grab my stuff and I'll be right back."

Auggie heard her moving back to her booth and turned his attention back to his meal. Annie Walker intrigued him, the way she didn't get awkward when she realized he was blind was refreshing and definitely not something he experienced very often.

* * *

"Here we are then," Auggie said as he opened the door to his office half an hour later and gestured for Annie to enter. She walked past him and took in the space in front of her. A big room with lots of computer equipment Annie didn't recognize lit by big windows. Auggie followed her in and closed the door behind them. He folded his white cane and placed it on a table next to the door with his keys and crossed the room to sit down behind a big glass topped desk in the middle of the room. Annie watched his easy movements in awe.

"So, want me to see if I can fix your computer?" he asked, gesturing for her to sit in a chair next to him.

"Yeah, sure. Where do you want it?" she said, as she dug her laptop out of her messenger bag.

"Let me have it," Auggie answered, holding his hand out. Annie placed in his hand and watched as he plugged a few cords into it, put on a pair of headphones and keyed some commands into the desktop computer in front of him. A few minutes later he pulled the headphones down around his neck and turned to face Annie.

"You're not a computer person, are you?" he asked with a smile.

"Uh, not really," she admitted with a small laugh. "My computer knowledge is limited to the basics."

"I think it's time for a new computer. This one has done its job."

"Really? Sheesh, that's the last thing I need now. There's nothing that can be done to fix it?"

"Well, I can get it to work again 'till you can afford a new one, but you'll owe me a sandwich."

"Oh, I'd be happy to get you a platter of sandwiches."

"I'd settle for dinner," he replied with a wink.

"Well, fix my computer and you got yourself a date Mr. Anderson."

"Give me 24 hours. Here's my card. I'd ask for yours but that would really be useless for me. Text me your contact info, ok?"

"Sure. Thanks Auggie, I really appreciate this. I guess I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

"No problem. See ya' tomorrow," he replied with a wink.

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**_So... Is this plot line interesting? Do you want to read more? Let me know with a review or an alert! :o)_**


	2. The Dinner

**Sheesh, I can't believe I managed to screw up the title. I was so eager to publish last night it was close to 1:30 AM by the time I finally had the story uploaded and edited. The correct title is "Fate?" and I've changed it now.**

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts. Since there's definitively interest in the story I'm uploading the second chapter. This is considerably longer than the first one and more filling. The first one was kind of a teaser, to see if anyone found my idea interesting. :o) **

**The next chapter will probably not be up until the weekend, the reason this came up so fast was that today is a national holiday here, so I've had time to finish this up.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs.**

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**-2: The Dinner-**

When Annie arrived back at her small studio apartment she couldn't believe she'd actually left her laptop with a complete stranger. But, she figured, desperate times calls for desperate measures and she was pretty desperate. The computer had been acting up for a while and she had no clue about what was actually wrong and how to fix it. Languages were her strong point, computers were just a necessary work tool and she'd never bothered to learn anything except for the basics. She called her employer and explained her computer issues, and thankfully her boss was in an understanding mood and gave her a couple of extra days to finish. With that settled she dug Auggie's business card out of her pocket and texted him her contact information as she'd promised to do.

She grabbed a beer from her fridge and settled down on the old, worn couch to channel surf. Before she flipped on the TV she glanced around the room. She'd travelled for most of the five years since she'd graduated from college, but her trust fund was almost cleared and it was time to settle down. She'd lived in the studio for a month, and she still had a couple months before the owner returned. Annie knew she had to find a permanent place to live. She hoped Auggie was able to do some magic and keep her computer alive for a little while longer. She needed the money left in her trust fund for a deposit; a new computer was definitely not in her budget at the moment.

Her thoughts drifted back to her encounter with Auggie. There was something about him that intrigued her. She was definitely going to buy him dinner, whether he fixed her computer or not. The first thing was that he was a very attractive man, tall, dark hair that curled along his collar and over his forehead and beautiful, expressive dark brown eyes. She'd been shocked when he held up his folded white cane; she could've sworn he was looking straight at her. He was also well dressed and his tailored shirt showed that he kept himself in shape. Physical attraction aside his warm laughter and offering to help her with her computer definitely won her over.

* * *

A couple of blocks away Auggie was working on Annie's computer when his phone buzzed with an incoming text. He picked up his Braille display and couldn't help smiling when he read it. It was Annie's contact info, as she'd promised. He quickly added her phone number and email address to his contacts, and added her to his contact list on Skype. He still had a few hours of work ahead of him with her computer, the more he worked on it, the more obvious it became to him that she needed to work on her computer skills. He hoped he would be able to teach her a thing or two.

He'd lived in his own little bubble for the past few years, ever since a head on collision with a drunk driver ripped his eyesight away from him he'd submerged himself in his work. He'd initially thought it would be impossible for him to get back to work with computers without seeing, but he'd soon discovered there was a vast variety of adaptive technology available that made it possible. So, after finishing his rehabilitation he'd moved back to D.C. and thanks to a generous insurance payout he'd purchased a small townhouse in Adams Morgan with an office space on the ground floor and two apartments in the floors above. With the help of a friend in the construction business he'd converted the biggest one into two studios and the loft on the top floor had been converted to fit his needs. It was spacious and open planned. He'd set up his business in the ground floor office space. Since he wasn't able to drive anymore it made sense to live and work in the same house. Car services and taxis were expensive and he still wasn't comfortable with public transportation. He'd gotten to know the neighborhood fairly quickly after he moved there. It was a nice, vibrant area with several nice cafes and restaurants lining the streets, along with a decent selection of shops. He'd carved out a comfortable niche for himself and didn't really see the need to change things.

He hadn't really put any thought into the lack of female company in his life. His last serious relationship had ended not long before his accident and afterwards he'd busied himself in work and getting his life back to some semblance of what it was before. His brothers and buddies would bring it up from time to time and he'd had his share of brief flings with girls over the last few years. He just hadn't been ready for something permanent and if he was to be completely honest with himself none of the coeds he brought home from the local taverns were really girlfriend material. He satisfied his libido, but there weren't any feelings beyond that. Meeting Annie Walker had changed something. It had lit a fire within him; he wanted to get to know this woman. He hadn't felt such a connection with anyone for a long time.

"Hey boss, what are you working on?" The voice of his assistant, Stu Heatherton, pulled him back to reality. Auggie had been so focused on Annie's computer and lost in thought that he hadn't caught the door opening. He pulled his headphones down around his neck.

"Oh, just fixing a few bugs on a friend's computer. She's got a deadline to meet and I'm trying to save her work for her."

"Her? Anyone I know?"

"Nope. I just met her down at the diner when I had lunch," Auggie replied in the most matter-of-fact tone he could muster, hoping his assistant would back off.

"Uh…ok," Stu stuttered. "Since when do you fix random women's computers?"

"Stu. I really like this woman, ok. Get your brain out of the gutter and get back to work. My personal life isn't your business." Auggie instantly regretted snapping at Stu, in addition to being is right hand man at work he was also one of Auggie's closest friends. Auggie took a deep breath and turned towards Stu's desk.

"Stu, I'm sorry. That was out of line, it's just that I really like Annie. She seems so different from the coeds that hang down at the tavern and I'd really like to get to know her. She promised to take me out for dinner if I fixed her computer."

"It's ok Aug, I was just surprised, that's all. Didn't mean to pry."

"Yes you did," Auggie said with a laugh and turned his attention back to Annie's laptop.

* * *

After lunch the following day Auggie finished his work on Annie's laptop and he picked up the receiver on his desk phone and dialed her number. She answered the call on the third ring.

"Annie Walker."

"Hey, it's Auggie. I've fixed your computer, so feel free to come over and pick it up," he said, trying to keep his nerves in check. He was grateful that Stu had left the office to have a meeting with a client. He didn't need him eavesdropping.

"You managed to fix it? I guess I owe you dinner. Have any plans tonight?"

"Actually no. Dinner would be great."

"Um… I've just recently moved into the area, so I'm not to familiar with the local eateries. Do you have any preferences?"

"Depends on what you like. French? Italian? Chinese? Thai? Or if you prefer good ol' American fare we've got the diner."

"I'm pretty much game for anything. Italian maybe?"

"Sure. There's a great Italian place on Columbia. Why don't we meet outside there at six?"

"I've passed that place, I know where it is. See you there."

"I'll bring your laptop. Later."

Annie had spent most of the afternoon fussing about what to wear for her dinner with Auggie. She realized that Auggie couldn't see what she was wearing, but she still wanted to look good. She felt like a nervous schoolgirl when she arrived outside the restaurant at 5:50 in the afternoon. Auggie wasn't there yet. A few minutes later she spotted him walking down the street, white cane tapping steadily in front of him. He was even more handsome than she remembered and he'd obviously dressed up too. When she'd met him at the diner the previous day he'd been wearing a pair of worn jeans and a tailored, yet casual, shirt. His hair had been slightly mussed and he'd obviously not shaved that morning, judging from the dark shadow on his jaw. Now he was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a tailored dress shirt. His hair appeared to be more tamed and he was clean-shaven. As he got closer Annie approached him and gently touched his left arm.

"Hi Auggie, it's Annie," she announced herself.

He smiled broadly and inhaled.

"I'd recognize that scent anywhere, Jo Malone Grapefruit, right?"

"Yeah. Gosh, am I wearing too much?"

"No, not at all. It's just an unusual one. I like it."

"Well, I'm hungry. Let's get a table."

"They have a nice backyard here, lets see if we can't get a table out there," Auggie suggested. It was a warm summer evening.

"Sure, that sounds nice. Uh…how do we do this?"

"The best for me if we use basic sighted guide technique. Touch the back of my left hand to let me know you're willing to be my guide and where you're standing. Then I'll grasp your arm right above your elbow and follow you. I'll be about half a step behind you, just remember you're guiding me and warn me before steps or doors. Think you can manage?"

"Sounds easy enough," Annie replied as she gently brushed the back of Auggie's hand. He followed her arm up to her elbow and grasped it.

Fifteen minutes later they were seated at a small table in a corner of the backyard of the restaurant. They'd placed their orders when Auggie spoke.

"So, Annie, would you mind telling me a little bit about yourself?"

She gathered her thoughts and dove into her life story. She told Auggie all about growing up as an army brat, moving from base to base, never feeling like she belonged anywhere. He learned that she'd lived in ten different states and three countries by the time she graduated high school and her college years at Georgetown was the first time she'd lived somewhere for more than a year. She told him about her talent for languages and her travels after she graduated. "I've been working freelance and my main employer have said they'd be able to give me a more stabile income if I settle down here. A friend of mine sublet her studio to me, that's how I ended up in Adams Morgan. What about you?"

Annie listened as Auggie told her about growing up as the youngest of five boys in a loving, tight knit family in a Chicago suburb, his older brothers were all jocks, football players, while Auggie had been on the wrestling and cross-country teams. He'd won the state championship in wrestling his junior and senior year and after graduating he'd moved on to study computer engineering at Northwestern.

"So you haven't always been blind?" Annie asked, immediately wishing she hadn't opened her big mouth. He shook his head and had a swig of his wine before speaking.

"Car wreck little over five years ago. I was hit head on by a drunk driver. They didn't think I'd pull through, I did, but I woke up blind. Took a lot of hard work to get where I am today."

"Looks like you're doing pretty good, judging from that impressive office of yours. What exactly does your company do?"

"We set up and maintain computer systems for small companies, you know where it doesn't make sense to have a full-time person to run their IT department. I do most of the work in the office, while my assistant goes out to clients and do maintenance work on-site. I could do it, but working eyes is an advantage in many cases."

It was late by the time they walked down the street towards Annie's house. Even if it was only two blocks further than Auggie's house he insisted on walking her home. He'd told her he lived on the top floor of the townhouse where his office was located and he was secretly thrilled to find out they were living within walking distance of each other. It had been a long time since he'd had this kind of interaction with a woman. Annie was smart, funny and she had guts, judging from her background and all of her solo-travels around the world. The way she wasn't awkward because of his useless eyes was also very refreshing. He'd had his portion of pity sex, especially in the early days of his blindness. Annie was a breath of fresh air and he didn't want to drive her away by seeming over eager.

"Well, here we are, my front door," Annie announced as she stopped outside her apartment building. "Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Yep, I've lived here for a few years now. Don't worry. Oh…" Auggie said as he dug inside his messenger bag. "Here's your laptop." He held it in Annie's direction and she took it from him.

"Thanks, you're a lifesaver! I had a great time tonight, I'd really like to do this again."

"Me too. Well, I guess we both know where the other live and we've exchanged contact information, so…"

"Do you have plans for this weekend?" Annie cut in.

"No, nothing specific. Why?"

"Just thought we might do something together, continue getting to know each other."

"Yeah, sure. I'm pretty busy tomorrow, but I'll call you on Thursday, ok?"

"Sounds good to me. Well, good night Auggie."

"Good night Annie, thanks for dinner."

"Any time. I owe you at least ten dinners for fixing my computer."

"The deal was one dinner, so that's all settled. You owe me nothing."

A sudden kiss on his cheek startled Auggie slightly. "G'night Auggie, I'll be waiting for your call on Thursday," Annie said as she climbed the five steps to her front door and let herself in. Auggie felt like he was walking on clouds as he headed back to his place. He cursed about his busy schedule the following day and the fact that he'd have to wait almost 48 hours before talking to Annie again.

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	3. Getting closer

**So, the weekend is here and so is the promised new chapter. I'm having so much fun writing this story and the warm welcome it has received is so encouraging. I truly appreciate each review and alert. Thanks ya'll. :o)**

**The next chapter is already well under way, I'm hoping that I'll get it done and up here by Sunday. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie. **

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**-3: Getting closer-**

Although his workday was extremely busy Auggie's mind kept drifting back to his dinner with Annie Walker. When he finally shut down his computer, closed up the office and climbed the stairs up to his place it was almost 8 at night. After stashing his cane and keys in their place on the dresser in the hallway he headed to the kitchen. He popped a frozen dinner into the microwave and grabbed bottle of water from the fridge. After a quick detour to the bathroom to down a couple of Tylenol he settled down on one of the stools by the kitchen island. He was very tempted to call Annie, but first his hunger had to be taken care of. He'd ignored it for most of the day and the slight pounding in the back of his head was threatening to become a full-blown migraine. A microwave dinner was far from his first choice, but it was late, he was tired to cook and too hungry to wait for a delivery to arrive.

Half an hour later he'd finished his dinner and the building headache had pretty much subsided. He was toying with his iPhone, not able to decide whether he should call Annie or wait 'till the following day as they'd agreed on the previous night. His landline phone ringing, the caller ID announcing Annie's name. He took a deep breath and answered the phone.

"Hi Annie. Couldn't wait 'till tomorrow, huh?"

"Nope," she chuckled. "So, how was your day?"

"Busy, just as predicted. Got off work about an hour ago and just had dinner. You?"

"I've been busy finishing the translation I was doing when my computer crashed and a couple of other assignments that had dumped into my inbox. I don't know what kind of magic you did to it, but it's like new. I just had to call and thank you again."

"Glad to hear it. It should be ok for a while, but you really should consider replacing it."

"I know, I just don't have the money right now."

"I'll keep it running for you until you can afford a new one. I'm quite the magician."

"Oh really? Got any more tricks up your sleeve you wanna share?"

"You bet! Listen, as much as I'm tempted to invite you over to my place it's getting late and I'm tired, it's been a long day. I doubt you'll find watching me sleep on the couch very entertaining."

"I don't know about that, you're not too bad on the eyes you know," Annie said playfully, before she continued in a more normal tone. "I'm tired too. These translations can get a bit exhausting, takes a lot of focus."

"Got plans tomorrow night?"

"Nothing, well except from calling you."

"Wanna come over for dinner? I make a killer lasagna."

"Sounds great. When do you want me to come over?"

"How 'bout around 7?"

"Works for me. See you tomorrow Auggie. Good night."

"Night Annie. See you tomorrow."

* * *

The next day Auggie left the office a bit earlier than usual. Stu smiled as his boss and friend practically bounced out of the office. He hadn't seen Auggie this happy for years, not since before the accident that had taken his sight away. Stu was curious about what was going on. Earlier in the day Auggie had received a grocery delivery, which was highly unusual during the workday. Auggie normally had his deliveries scheduled so they arrived after office hours. He had a feeling the woman whose computer he'd worked on a couple of days ago had something to do with it. His inquisitive streak made him stay in the office a little while longer than normal, despite Auggie telling him he could take off early, he still had a few loose ends to tie up and maybe he'd catch a glimpse of this woman that had his boss and friend acting like a teenager. Just as he was about to give up and leave a pretty blonde walked up to the front door and pushed Auggie's doorbell. Stu realized that looks didn't mean anything to Auggie, there had to be something else about her that had won him over, but he couldn't help being a bit jealous. She was hot and probably had a great personality.

Auggie had gotten straight to work on the lasagna when he got upstairs. He had to admit to himself that he felt a bit like a nervous teenager with going on a first date and he really wanted to make a good impression on Annie. He was pretty sure that Stu had noticed his good mood, but to Auggie's relief he didn't ask. Not even the grocery delivery in the middle of the workday had raised any questions. When he finished putting the lasagna together he made salad while the lasagna cooled. Fifteen minutes later he put the the oven ready lasagna in the fridge and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower before he put on a pair of clean jeans and a black polo shirt. He'd just turned on the oven when his doorbell rang. It was Annie, he buzzed her in and used the time it took for her to climb the stairs to uncork a bottle of red wine and set that and two glasses on the kitchen island.

* * *

Annie had felt like she had butterflies the size of eagles fluttering around her stomach for most of the afternoon and they didn't get any smaller as she climbed the stairs to his loft. She reached his door and knocked. Moments later she heard the sound of footsteps approaching and the door opened. Auggie greeted her with a wide smile.

"Hi Annie, come on in," he said as he stepped aside and let her enter his apartment. She looked around the spacious loft; it was neat, no knick-knacks or clutter anywhere. There were a few select pieces of art on the walls and the furniture was clean and modern in shades of black and grey.

"Nice place you've got here," Annie commented while she slipped her shoes off and placed them under the coat rack next to the door and set her bag down next to them.

"Thanks. A buddy of mine in the construction business helped me fix it up and convert it to be 'blind guy proof'. From what I've been told they building was a mess when I bought it, but I got a good price and the neighborhood is great."

"You own the building?" Annie asked as she followed Auggie into the living area.

"Yeah, bought it when I decided to move back to D.C. after my accident. Want a glass of wine?"

"Yes please." She watched in awe as Auggie poured two glasses of wine without spilling a drop. He offered her one and took the other one for himself.

"Thanks. Your buddy did a great job. The building looks very nice."

"Never doubted it. He's a great guy and I trust him. He was the one that suggested buying the building to me. I'd just planned on moving back to my condo and rent an office space somewhere. Since I obviously can't drive it's great to have my office downstairs. Saves me lots on cabs and car services."

"That makes sense. What's on the floors between here and your office? More offices?"

"On the first floor there's a two bedroom apartment and a shared laundry room. On the second floor there was originally a big apartment, it's been converted into two smaller studio apartments. So far I've been lucky with my tenants, they're stable and pay the rent on time. Are you hungry?" he asked as the oven beeped to signal it had reached the correct temperature.

"Hell yeah. You did say something about making a mean lasagna."

"That I did. I'll just put it in the oven, and we'll eat in about 25 minutes or so."

"Sounds great. Anything I can do?"

"Nope, just take a seat and relax, I've got everything ready." Auggie pointed to the barstools on the side of the island and Annie took a seat.

A couple of hours they were sitting on Auggie's sofa, they were sharing a second bottle of wine and chatting. Conversation had been flowing lightly and Auggie's fascination for Annie was steadily growing. Their backgrounds were miles apart; her rootless upbringing was the opposite of his stable childhood in an affluent Chicago suburb. Whilst he was part of a large, tight knit family Annie's only family were her parents and an older sister. He was surprised at how well they connected, despite the very different paths their lives had taken.

"Did you start your company after your accident?" Annie asked.

"No, it had been up and running for about a year. Stu, my right hand man, and I were co-workers and when our employer went bankrupt a few of our clients wondered if we were interested in working freelance for them. I had some money to get us started. We had it running pretty well by the time that drunk idiot slammed into my car. Me being unable to work for almost a year wasn't exactly ideal, but Stu and a couple of my other buddies managed to keep it afloat. I owe them a lot."

"Now it's only you and Stu, right?

"Most of the time. We have a couple of guys that do project based work for us when we're busy, like when we're setting up systems for new clients. In general the two of us can cope pretty well with the workload. We get the occasional long day, like yesterday, but that doesn't happen all that often." Auggie paused and took a sip of his wine. "You mentioned something about more permanent work when we had dinner the other night. Did you hear anything?"

"I spoke with my main employer today actually. They don't have anything right now, but if I settle down here she'll put me on top of her list when something opens up. I've got enough work to keep me afloat, but something a bit more predictable would be nice. Would make it easier to find a place to live too."

"I thought you had a place?"

"Just for a couple of more months. My friend sublet her place to me while she's working in London for three months." Annie sighed slightly at the end of the sentence.

"Oh. Yeah, I see how that's a tricky situation."

"Mhm… Especially since I can't really afford to travel right now either.

If I could I'd spend some time in Europe again when the lease expires, but now I don't really know what to do."

''I'd offer you one of the apartments here, but none are available at the moment and it doesn't look like any of the tenants are about to move."

"Thanks Auggie, that's really sweet of you. I'll figure it out, I still have a couple of months left of my lease, and it should be ok."

When he walked back to his place after walking Annie home late that night Auggie silently cursed his stable tenants. Both the studios were rented to stable people he didn't think had any intentions of moving anytime soon. But he had friends and connections and he made a mental note to make a few phone calls in the morning. He really didn't want Annie Walker to leave his neighborhood, or his life for that matter. She'd already become too important to him.

* * *

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	4. Summertime picnic

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts. :o) They're greatly appreciated and keeps me inspired. **

**I said I'd try to get this chapter up on Sunday and here it is. I'll try to have the next one up sometime this weep, but no promises to when. I'll have to see how the workweek turns out. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie.**

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**-4. Summertime picnic-**

About three weeks after they first met Annie entered Auggie's office at lunchtime on a Thursday. He heard the door opening and as he inhaled deeply a wide smile spread across his face.

"Annie, I thought you were having lunch with your sister?"

"Yeah, but one of her kids got a stomach flu and I really don't want to catch that. We decided to postpone it. So, are you up for a little picnic?"

"Uh, excuse me?"

"You heard me, you've got sharper hearing than most people I know."

"Comes with the territory," he shrugged. "But, a picnic?"

"Yep, I've made subs for both of us and I've got a blanket. Come on, it's a beautiful summer day and fall is approaching fast."

"Ok, you had me at sub. Stu, I'll be back in about an hour, ok?"

"Sure Aug, no problem. Take the rest of the day if you want to, we're not exactly swamped here. I'll stay 'till 4 today, I don't have any plans."

"Thanks Stu. I just might take you up on that offer."

"Great!" Annie chimed in. "Let's go then."

Auggie tucked his iPhone into his pocket and got up from his chair and crossed the floor to where Annie was standing and gathered his cane and keys from the table by the door.

"Do you want me to carry anything?" he asked as he waited for Annie to offer her arm.

"Sure, you can take the basket of food. Give me your cane."

Auggie handed her his cane and she tucked it into the picnic basket and brushed the handle against Auggie's right hand. He grabbed it with a smile as Annie moved to stand on his left side and lightly touched the back of his hand. He grasped her elbow and they left the office.

"You kids behave," Stu shouted as the door closed behind them. Seeing Auggie with Annie was great. Stu hadn't seen his friend so happy since before the accident and it was obvious that they had feelings for each other. That Auggie didn't have his cane out when Annie was his guide was a huge vote of confidence. Stu knew there were only a few people Auggie trusted enough to do that.

* * *

An hour later Annie and Auggie were laying side by side on a blanket in the park a few blocks from Auggie's office and home. They had both taken off their t-shirts and folded them up to use them to function as impromptu pillows. It was a warm day and Annie was glad she'd swapped her bra for a bikini top when she got dressed in the morning. She looked over at Auggie's bare torso. She'd known from the first time she met him that he kept himself in shape, but this was the first time she had it on display in front of her.

"You're staring at me," he mumbled sleepily. The warm sun was making him drowsy and he was close to drifting off to sleep.

"How do you know?" Annie asked, surprised.

"I just know. It's kind of a sixth sense, well actually a fifth."

"Oh, sorry. I've realized that you're in good shape, but…wow! How many hours a day do you spend at the gym?"

"An hour or so. I try to make it every day, but that rarely happens. It's more like 3-4 days a week. I lift weights and run on a treadmill."

"Really makes my Zumba DVD's and occasional runs seem pathetic," Annie said with a small laugh. "I don't want to sign up for a gym membership until I have a permanent place to live."

"About that," Auggie said, grateful for the opportunity to change subject. He always felt a bit embarrassed when women gushed about his well-toned torso. He'd always kept himself in shape; he'd pretty much done the same gym routine since high school and he knew he was good looking, but he'd never thought it was that much of a big deal. "How's the apartment hunt going?"

"Not very well. Danielle, my sister, offered me her guesthouse, but she's incredibly nosy and she's got two little girls running around. And it's way over in Georgetown. It would be a last resort kind of thing to be honest."

"I see how the guesthouse of a nosy sister with two kids don't make for an ideal living arrangement. You still got time, don't give up. To be honest I'd like to keep you in the neighborhood."

"Oh, is that right Mr. Anderson?" Annie asked, her tone slightly teasing.

"Yes Ms. Walker it is. I'd blow my budget on cabs if you moved out of walking distance."

"If I could just get a full time job things would be so much easier. Apparently 29 year old women with unstable incomes aren't exactly preferred tenants." Annie sighed.

"Well, us landlords like to collect rent once a month, we're kind of strange that way." Auggie teased.

"Oh har Auggie. I'm perfectly capable of paying my rent," Annie said, sounding slightly aggravated.

"Hey, I was only kidding," Auggie reached over, located and grasped Annie's hand. "Why won't you let me call in some favors like I offered weeks ago?"

"Because I don't like to be in debt to people. I already told you that."

"Annie, you wouldn't owe me anything. Let me help you. That's what friends do."

They'd had this discussion before and Auggie had realized that Annie's stubborn streak ran a mile wide. It frustrated the hell out of him that Annie wouldn't accept his help, but he didn't want to push it too much, fearing it might push Annie away.

* * *

A few hours later Auggie returned to his building. Annie was going home to take a shower and finish a translation. It was just after 4 in the afternoon and he found the office door locked, Stu had left for the weekend. He turned and walked to the entrance to the apartments and let himself in. When he reached the landing on the second floor a door opened and he heard his name being called.

"Auggie! I'm so glad I ran into you. Do you have a minute?" It was Sheila, the tenant in one of the studio apartments.

"Yeah, sure. What can I do for you?"

"Um… I know my lease runs for another year, but I've been offered a transfer at work, to Denver. That would bring me closer to my family and…" She paused briefly and Auggie could've sworn he heard her sniffle. "Anyway, my dad's got cancer and I'd really like to be closer, to be able to see him more often. Is there any chance of terminating the lease early?"

"I think I might be able to help you. I have a few potential tenants on my list. I'll make a few phone calls and get back to you as soon as possible ok?" Auggie didn't want to seem like he was just giving in, but in general he did his best to help his tenants in situations like Sheila's. He had to work really hard on suppressing a grin; the timing was perfect. He couldn't wait to call Annie and tell her the news.

"Thanks Auggie. See you later."

"Yep, later, I'd better go make those phone calls."

A few minutes later he dialed Annie's number. She picked up on the third ring.

"Hey, miss me already?" she teased.

"Of course. Actually I called because I've got some great news for you."

"What?"

"I just ran into the girl that rents one of the studios in the hall, she asked me if it was possible to terminate her lease early. I told her I'd see what I could do. Are you interested?"

"Do you even have to ask? Of course I'm interested." Annie's heart practically skipped a beat. They talked a bit back and forth about rent and other practical stuff and Auggie promised to set up a viewing for her as soon as possible. After ending the call with Annie he dialed Sheila's number.

"Hi Auggie, that was fast!" She greeted him.

"Well, a friend of mine is kind of in a bind and she's very interested in taking over the lease. Could she come and check the place out sometime soon?"

"Sure. I'll be out for the rest of the day, but you have a key if you want to do it today."

"You're okay with that?"

"Auggie, I trust you. You're the best landlord ever and I'm just grateful that you're helping me."

"Thanks. I'll call her and find out. I'll let you know what happens, ok?"

"Call me tomorrow. I'll be at work 'till midnight, so you won't be able to reach me on the phone."

"Got it. Thanks Sheila. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Thanks Auggie. Later."

* * *

Two hours later Annie practically skipped down the street to Auggie's place. She'd wanted to rush over there immediately, but she needed to finish her translation and get it to her boss before six. Auggie had promised dinner and a look at the studio for rent. She pushed his doorbell and waited for him to buzz her in.

"Meet me on the 2nd floor landing," his voice came from the speaker next to the doorbell. She quickly climbed the stairs and smiled when she saw Auggie standing there, half leaning on his cane, wearing a pair of shorts and a worn t-shirt, flip flops on his feet.

"Hi Annie," he said with a wide smile as she climbed the last steps and approached him.

"Hi. I really appreciate this."

"Hey, what are friends for? Follow me," he said as he set his cane in motion and walked a few feet down the hall. Annie followed him and soon she was standing in the middle of a spacious studio apartment.

"Wow, this is really nice Auggie."

"I know," he replied with a confident smirk. He was standing a few feet inside the door. He had no idea how Sheila had furnished the place and didn't want to risk appearing as a bumbling fool. "Just take a look around, I'll be right here."

Annie looked over at him; he looked a bit lost, half leaning on his cane.

"Um…okay, give me a few minutes."

An hour later they were sitting cross-legged on Auggie's couch with a pizza box between them. Auggie would get all the paperwork ready and he'd talk to Sheila about when she wanted to move out the following day. Annie still had about a month left of her lease and couldn't afford double rent, so they agreed that she would stay at her current place 'till her friend returned from London.

"Oh, and I don't want a deposit. You should spend that money on a new computer."

"Really? Why?"

"Your livelihood depends on your computer and I trust you won't screw me over. I'll get a good deal on a laptop that suits your needs through my company and I'll maintain it for you."

"You're too kind Auggie. You don't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to," he said with a smile that extended to his eyes. Annie was still taken aback about how expressive Auggie's eyes were; they conveyed every emotion despite not seeing a thing.

"Well thanks. It's getting late; I'd better get going."

"I'll walk you home."

"That's really not necessary, it's still light outside."

"I know, I just want to enjoy your company for as long as possible."

"Well, ok then, I don't mind your company either," Annie replied and they headed out the door.

* * *

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	5. Lunchtime confession

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts! :o) As always - GREATLY appreciated!**

**This chapter is a bit short, but I figured a short update is petter than no update, right? The next chapter will probably be up on Sunday, I've got a busy few days ahead and limited time to write. :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie.**

* * *

**-5: Lunchtime confession-**

A couple of weeks after Annie had moved into one of Auggie's studio apartments she still couldn't believe her luck. Auggie had insisted on putting a fresh coat of paint in her choice of color on the walls before she moved in, and the kitchen and bathrooms were nicer than the other apartments she'd looked at. After all it had only been little over four years since Auggie had bought the building and converted one of the apartments into two studios, so everything was pretty new. She had a strong feeling Auggie was undercharging her on rent, but when she asked he flat out refused to let her pay more. What she was paying was just right and that was final. Annie had realized that his stubborn streak ran just as wide as hers and arguing with Auggie would get her nowhere. The best part of her new living arrangement was having Auggie only a flight of stairs away. Almost three months had passed since they first met and they were growing steadily closer.

Annie's main concern when she moved in had been furniture. She'd had a few pieces in storage in her sister's garage; a couch, an armchair and a bed. She also had a few boxes of house stuff like sheets, dishes and some personal items. Again Auggie had turned out to be her savior. When he'd gone blind his instructors in rehab had suggested getting tables with rounded corners, which he soon realized was a good idea. Since he had a big storage room in the basement his coffee table, end tables, dining table and desk had been put there. They were nice pieces of furniture and he figured they might come in handy for someone some day. Annie didn't have room for the dining table, but she happily accepted the coffee table, end tables and desk. On a trip to Ikea with Stu as her driver she'd purchased a couple of barstools for the kitchen island, a desk chair and some other stuff she needed. Stu had proved to be just as friendly and helpful as Auggie, he was just a bit shy.

Annie was in the middle of a translation when her iPhone started buzzing, she was a bit surprised to see Auggie's name on the screen. He'd told her he was going to be busy with a meeting with a potential client for most of the day and he wouldn't be able to make it to their usual lunch date. After Annie had moved it had become sort of a habit for Auggie to come up to Annie's place for lunch if she wasn't out for a meeting with one of her employers. She smiled as she answered the call.

"Hey Aug, what's up?"

"Meeting finished early, I was just wondering if you've had lunch?"

"No, I've been so immersed in this translation, I kind of forgot about time."

"Wanna go to the diner and grab a bite? I feel like some fresh air and stretching my legs. My back is killing me today."

"Sure, sounds nice. Give me 15 minutes, to finish this paragraph?"

"No problem, you know where I am."

"See you in a few."

"What's up with your back?" Annie asked after they'd place their orders about half an hour later. She hadn't heard Auggie complaining about it before.

"I fractured a couple of vertebras in the accident that blinded me. In general it doesn't bother me, but lately I've been busy with work and I've slacked off on my exercise routines. Now I'm paying for it."

"Oh, you were injured pretty bad weren't you?" Auggie had told her a little bit about his injures right after they met, but he'd never told her the full extent of his injuries and how he'd recovered.

"Yeah. They actually didn't think I'd survive. I was in a coma for a couple of weeks, had several internal injuries, head trauma, broke my right leg and arm, fractured a couple of vertebras… I was a mess. Took about seven months for me to get well enough to go to rehab and learn to live without my sight. All in all it took about a year to get back to some semblance of normalcy."

"I can't even imagine how hard that must have been for you."

"I honestly don't remember much of the first few months, they had me drugged up on morphine most of the time. It was far from a picnic, that's for sure. I was lucky to have supportive friends and family around me, they were a great help."

"You mentioned something about deciding to move back here when you finished your rehab, you went away for that?"

"The accident happened while I was in Glencoe, visiting my family, so I was admitted to Northwestern hospital and did my rehab in Chicago. I considered moving back to Glencoe for a while, but when I learned that Stu and my buddies had fought to keep the company afloat while I was recovering I decided to move back here. At that point I was starting to get fairly proficient in Braille and had learned how to use the adaptive tech that allows me to use a computer. Mom was not very happy; she didn't think I'd survive the first month I think. She wanted to keep me close, but one of the reasons I decided to move back here was to have some space to figure things out on my own. As much as I love my family and I'm forever grateful for the way they were there for me…well, let's just say my mother can be kind of overly protective. Doesn't help that I'm the youngest, her baby. I think I'll always be 'little Auggie' to her," Auggie finished with a small laugh, shaking his head.

"Well, you can't blame her for worrying, can you?"

"I guess not. She didn't see how I'd be able to live independently, cook, clean, do laundry, and get around safely. They were all questions I'd asked when I realized I'd have to live the rest of my life without seeing, but by the time she started asking them I knew it was all doable and my stubborn streak had kicked in full force. I wanted to prove to everyone, and myself, that I could do it. I have a cleaner that comes in once a week to clean my place, I use a laundry service for some of my clothes and I have my groceries delivered, but in general I don't need that much assistance to get by in my everyday life. For the first few weeks after I moved back here Mom drove me crazy. Called several times a day to make sure I was fine. I had enough after about a month and I just stopped answering her calls. She was so worried when she couldn't get a hold of me she actually jumped on a plane and flew out here to make sure I was still alive. When she arrived at my place and found out I was just ignoring her calls I thought she'd kill me at first, but I proved my point and she got the message."

"That was pretty cruel," Annie interjected with a laugh. Auggie just shook his head. The arrival of their food stopped her from saying anything further. After cuing Auggie to what was on his plate and where it was located they picked up their forks and started eating. They enjoyed their lunch in comfortable silence and then they headed back. Annie still had to finish her translation and Auggie had a project to finish as well. They agreed to have dinner together that evening.

* * *

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	6. Lets take it step by step

**Again I have to start by thanking you for the alerts and reviews. I really really really appreciate it and it kicked my muse into gear. **

**This chapter came together faster than anticipated, despite my busy schedule. I'm actually well into the next one, so it'll be up by Sunday if nothing unexpected comes up.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything; not Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs.**

* * *

**-6: Let's take it step by step-**

"Hey Aug, what's up with you and Annie?" Stu asked as Auggie returned from lunch with Annie.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you guys a couple or what? You seem to be spending an awful lot of time together…"

"We're just friends, but I'm not ruling out that it could develop into something more. I like her a lot and I think it's mutual. I haven't felt this connected with anyone for a long time, not since before my accident."

"Well, you two make a cute couple, and from the way she looks at you I'd say she feels the same way."

"Gotta take your word for it," Auggie replied with a crooked grin.

"How exactly did you meet her? You never told me the full story."

"I was at the diner, having lunch when I suddenly heard a female behind me curse like a sailor because her computer was acting up. Reminded me of my cousin and I didn't manage to stifle a laugh. Seconds later angry footsteps approached and a female started shouting at me for laughing about her computer troubles. I felt bad and offered to have a look at it, so to speak. When she only responded with 'huh' I realized she hadn't actually caught that I'm blind. I held up my cane, she was a bit flustered for a few seconds, but that passed quickly. She joined me for lunch and then I brought her back here to have a look at her computer. I just felt a connection with her, I can't really explain it." Auggie paused for a few seconds, to gather his thoughts. "Anyway… Her computer was a mess; she said she'd buy me dinner if I could fix it for her. I really wanted to get to know her better and agreed to the deal. You know the rest."

"Any plans on making a move soon?"

"I kinda' want to, but I have a feeling she's holding back. I'm afraid that if I push too hard too fast she'll push me away. I don't want to lose her as a friend."

"I see where you're coming from, but don't take it too slow. It would be a shame if she slipped away from you."

"Don't worry about it Stu. I don't intend to let that happen," Auggie stated firmly.

"Glad to hear it buddy," Stu replied, patting Auggie's shoulder before turning his attention back to his computer.

* * *

A few hours later Auggie shut down his computer, grabbed his cane and headed upstairs. Stu was still in the office, finishing up a project before taking a long weekend off to go see his parents. When he reached the second floor Auggie paused for a few seconds, pulling his cane upright and leaning on it while trying to decide if he should go up to his place and call Annie later or just drop by now. He decided on dropping by, making a phone call to a person living on the floor below didn't really make any sense. When he reached Annie's door he knocked and seconds later he heard footsteps inside the door and the door opened.

"Auggie! You just got off work?"

"Yeah, I was just heading upstairs and figured I'd stop by and ask what you want to do for dinner? Going upstairs to call you seemed a bit weird."

"Come on in," Annie said, moving out of the door to let Auggie enter. He moved past her and she closed the door behind him, before gently grabbing his hand, tugging him with her to the couch. They settled down and Auggie folded his cane and placed it on the coffee table in front of him.

"How about we cook something together and stay in tonight? I'm tired and don't really feel like going out. The fact that it looks like it's about to rain any second doesn't exactly make it more tempting."

"I had a feeling that was the case. The air feels kind of stuffy, like a thunderstorm is building. I think I've got some chicken breasts in the fridge, or did you have something specific in mind?"

"Chicken sounds great. How about we grill them and make a Caesar salad? I've got plenty of vegetables."

"Sounds good to me, I think I've got some Caesar dressing and croutons too. How 'bout bringing the veggies upstairs and we can crack open a bottle of wine and get cooking?"

"Sure! Let me just gather the stuff and I'll be right behind you, ok?"

"I'll go ahead and open the wine. See you in a few!" Auggie got up from the couch, unfolded his cane and headed out the door.

* * *

A couple of hours later they were seated on Auggie's couch, sharing a second bottle of wine.

"So, with the exception of a possibility to get a permanent job, why did you decide to move here, to D.C.?" Auggie asked. "You don't seem like the settling down kind, judging from all your travels and stuff."

"I don't really know, probably because this is the only place I've lived for a longer period of time. Some of my college friends are still in the area, and when my old friend called and offered me her apartment in Adams Morgan for three months I figured I could give it a go. Then I ran into the friendly neighborhood blind guy and he was nice enough to hook me up with this amazing studio at a bargain price. Turns out he's not only sexy and charming, he's also a really great guy that I really like. Figured staying in the area gives me the opportunity to get to know him. I'm kinda hoping he'll take me out one day," Annie finished in a slightly flirty tone.

"Oh is that right Miss Walker?"

"Yes Auggie, it is. I have a feeling you like me too, I can see it in your eyes. I've had a feeling for a little while that you've been holding back. Figured I'd take the first step, as you don't have the benefit of seeing the look in my eyes."

"Man you're good," Auggie said with a laugh. "I knew you had a knack for linguistics, but I had no idea that mind reading was on your resume as well. I think I should request it in Braille to find out if you're withholding anything else from me."

"I'll email it to you," Annie responded playfully, then she turned more serious. "Honestly Auggie, I really like you. I have since I met you and I only had this kind of a connection with someone once before. That time I got burned, badly. I want to go out with you, but I need to take it slow. Are you okay with that?"

"Take all the time you need! I like you a lot Annie, I don't wanna screw this up and I hope to be able to keep you as a friend even if this relationship thing doesn't work out."

"Thanks," Annie said as she moved to sit closer to Auggie. He felt the couch depress next to him and wrapped his arm around Annie, who snuggled closer to him. They sat in comfortable silence for a while.

"Um…Annie? What did you mean when you said you'd been burned the last time you had a connection with a man?"

Annie sighed heavily before talking. "About four years ago I stayed in Paris for a few months, got employed short-term as a translator by the US Embassy there. I met a guy, American, worked as a vice-consul. I fell for him, hard, and we spent two intense months together. I really thought I'd found 'the one'. Stupid I know, but…damn…I was only 24, naïve and I'd just graduated from Georgetown. It was like every girls dream; I was in Paris, in a job I loved and dating this amazing guy."

"So, what happened?"

"I found him in my bed with another woman."

"What?" Auggie asked, shocked.

"I'd spent a few days with a friend in Nice, I came home a day early and found him in my bedroom with a French woman. After kicking her out he admitted that he'd been seeing her for a while and since my assignment was coming to an end he figure I'd be leaving soon anyway. I had two weeks left of my assignment, I worked those two weeks, and then I packed my bags and left Paris. I never turned back. Haven't been back there since."

Auggie sat silent for a few minute, absentmindedly playing with Annie's hair while processing what she'd just told him.

"Annie, I promise you that you that will not happen with me. When I commit to a person I mean it. We'll take this one step at the time, ok?"

Auggie felt Annie nodding against his chest before she spoke; "One step at the time sounds good to me."

* * *

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	7. New job for Annie

**Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know I said I'd have this up on Sunday, but real life got in the way and the last few days have been crazy. I haven't had the time to write at all. I finally managed to finish this up tonight. **

**Thanks again for all of the reviews and alerts. I REALLY appreciate every single one of them. :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie.**

* * *

**-7: New job for Annie-**

"Aaaaggeee," Annie squealed as she stormed into his office one Wednesday afternoon about a month after they started dating with a joyous grin on her face. Auggie turned in her direction and within seconds Annie was sitting on his lap, kissing him passionately. Stu clearing his throat made them jump apart a couple of seconds later. Annie had completely forgotten about his presence in her state of euphoria.

"What's going on Annie?" Auggie asked, as he finally found his voice again.

"I got a job! A permanent, full time job that actually pays pretty well."

"That's great news! I'm going to miss our lunch dates tough. What's the job?"

"It's pretty much the same as I'm doing now, but it'll be great to have just one employer to deal with and a predictable income. Oh, and you don't have to worry about our lunch dates, I'll still be working mostly from home, I'll just have to go into the office for meetings with my boss from time to time."

"Well, this calls for a celebration. Let's go out tonight. My treat."

"Thanks. Drop by my place when you're done, ok? I'll let you two get back to work." Annie got up from Auggie's lap and kissed him one last time, before heading towards the door.

"I'll probably be done around 4, maybe 4:30, ok?"

"Sound good. See you later."

"Congrats Annie!" Stu said as she put her hand on the doorknob.

"Thanks Stu. See you around."

* * *

"You know the best part of my new job?" Annie asked Auggie as they waited for their starters to arrive. They were back at the Italian restaurant where they'd had their first dinner together three months earlier.

"The pay?" Auggie guessed after swallowing the piece of breadstick he was chewing.

"Nope. I get 4 weeks off each year, with pay, to travel and keep my language skills sharp."

"That's great. I'll miss you though."

"Come with me," Annie suggested.

"Ummm… I don't know…" Auggie hesitated.

"Why not? You don't have a passport? If you come I might even be tempted to go to Paris again. I need to practice my French."

"I have a passport, it s just that I've never been much of a globetrotter. I went on a senior trip to Cancun when I graduated high school and I've been on a couple of Caribbean cruises with my family, but that was years ago. I've never been to Europe, never got around to it," he said. "It's not that I haven't wanted to, but it's kind of a challenge to travel when you're blind. For the last few years I've focused more on getting back on my feet and getting my company up and running. Travel hasn't exactly been on top of my list of priorities."

"Well, let's change that. I'd love to show you Paris," Annie insisted.

" You are making a good argument," Auggie said with a smile. "Although 'showing' me stuff a bit difficult."

"There's plenty of stuff you can still enjoy, like the ambience of the city and the amazing French cuisine."

"I know Annie and I'd love for you to show me Paris. I think it would make Stu happy to see me take some time off and do something besides visiting my family in Illinois."

"It's a deal then. I'll check with my boss when I can go. I kind of hope we can do our Christmas shopping in Paris."

Further discussion was interrupted by the arrival of their food and conversation moved on to other subjects.

* * *

"How do you feel about having dinner at my sister's house on Sunday?" Annie asked as they walked back home after dinner. Annie had looped her arm with Auggie's and he was using his cane to navigate.

"Sure, I'd like to meet your sister and her family."

"Great. Dani's been nagging me about introducing you to her, I guess it's about time."

"What time? I'll book a car service vehicle to take us to her house, she lives in Georgetown, right?"

"Yeah, I'll text you her address."

"Great. She's married, right?"

"Yes. Her husband, Michael, works in the pharmaceuticals industry. They have two little girls, Chloe and Katia. I hope you can cope with curious kids."

"I've got four older brothers, they all have kids. In general kids are easier to deal with than adults in some ways. It'll be fine." Auggie smiled in her direction, and then he was quiet for a couple of minutes before he spoke again. "Um, Annie? Do you want to stay the night at my place tonight? Just spend the night? I'm not expecting you to sleep with me."

"Like a kiddie sleepover?" Annie teased. "Sure Auggie, as long as you promise to make me breakfast I'll be happy to."

"It's a deal, I make a killer omelet," Auggie said with a grin plastered across his face.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Annie put together some basic toiletries, sleepwear and clothes for the next day into a tote bag and headed upstairs. She was actually a bit excited about spending the night in Auggie's arms and happy that he didn't push her, that he seemed to respect her need to take it step by step gave her the feeling that his feelings for her was as serious as the feelings she was developing for him. At least she hoped that was the case. She let herself in to Auggie's place; using the spare key he'd given her a couple of weeks earlier. He'd obviously heard the door opening; he came sauntering down the hall, wearing a pair of black sleep pants and a worn grey t-shirt.

"Hey, ready for bed already?" Annie asked in a teasing tone as Auggie approached her with his right hand slightly extended in front of him. She touched his hand to let him know where she was standing and he leaned down and kissed her before he spoke.

"Not necessarily, just getting comfortable. We can watch a movie or just hang out and chat for a while if you want to."

"Just chatting sounds nice, I'm not really in the mood for a movie and I honestly don't think I'll be able to stay awake through one either. It's getting late."

A few minutes later they were sitting on Auggie's couch, Annie had changed into her sleep pants and a camisole top and cuddled up next to Auggie, he had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, secretly enjoying the feeling of her soft skin against his.

"What did you mean when you said that kids are easier to deal with than adults?"

"They rarely get awkward when they realize I'm blind. Adults on the other hand tend to lose the ability to form coherent sentences when they see a white cane," Auggie said with a sigh.

"I never thought about it that way," Annie said thoughtfully.

"I guess it's insecurity or something. I wish people would realize I'm just blind; I'm not deaf or stupid. I'm just a regular person; the only difference is that I can't see. That's one of the things that intrigued me about you. You just got a bit taken aback when I held up my cane. You never got awkward and you've treated me like an equal since we met. I don't get that very often. I guess it's why I've kind of lived in my own little bubble for the past few years. It's just easier to stick with people I know, instead of risking awkwardness with strangers."

"I was a bit surprised when you held up your cane. I could've sworn you were looking straight at me. You're very good at making eye contact, I don't think about the fact that you can't see most of the time."

"I've been told that before, that I'm good at making eye contact. It's not that unusual with people that lose their sight as adults, it's some kind of reflex or something. I don't remember the full explanation, but one of my instructors in rehab told me about it."

"Oh, I didn't know that. I guess I'm glad I cursed so loudly about my computer that day and that you were sitting right behind me. Otherwise we might never have met."

"Kind of like fate, huh?" Auggie chuckled, pulling Annie closer to him. In general he didn't really believe in fate, it seemed so cheesy, but meeting Annie had him reconsidering his thoughts about it.

* * *

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	8. Moving forward

**Real life is sort of crazy these days and I've had limited time to write. I've finally managed to spend a few hours to get this little chapter down for you. I hope you like it.**

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* * *

**-8: Moving forward-**

"Annie, I've been thinking about something…" Auggie said hesitantly, not quite sure how to continue.

"What?" Annie asked, wondering what had Auggie sounding so insecure. He generally came cross as confident and smooth.

"Well, we've known each other for about six months now, we've been going out for about four of them, we have most of our meals together and we usually spend the night together too. I know you want to take this slow and I don't wanna push it…" Auggie took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts before he continued. "I was just thinking that since we spend most of our time outside work hours together that maybe you could move in with me."

"Move in with you?" Annie asked, surprise lacing her voice.

"Yeah, you could put your desk in the guest room and work there and you'd save your rent money. Just think about it?"

"You do have a point," Annie said thoughtfully. They did spend most of their free time together and considering that they lived in the same building it was kind of ridiculous to have separate apartments. She decided to take a leap of faith. "Let's give it a try. You won't have any problem finding a new tenant for the studio, right?"

A wide smile spread across Auggie's face. He hadn't expected Annie to agree to move in with him so easily."

"No, I actually have a waiting list for them. I'll make a few phone calls tonight and that should be sorted."

"Oh, and you'll have to let me know how much my share of the expenses for this place is."

"Annie, the rent income from the studios and the apartment on the first floor covers my mortgage and utilities. There are no expenses to share."

"Really Auggie?" Annie didn't feel right about living there for free.

"Really. I got a really good deal on the building and I got an insurance payout that covered the refurbishment and construction work it needed. To be perfectly honest I could've bought the building cash, but with the low interest rates it made more sense to take out a mortgage according to my older brother."

"Oh, sorry Auggie, I didn't mean to pry. I mean…um…your finances are really none of my business. It just feels so wrong to live here and not pay for my share of the costs."

"Stop arguing with me on this Annie, you're not gonna win no matter what. If you write me a check I won't cash it and if you try to transfer money into my bank account I'll just send it right back. That's final."

"Ok, I surrender. I'm actually kind of excited about living with you Auggie, and nervous, I've never lived with anyone before, if you don't count my roommate in college."

"I'm excited about living with you too," Auggie said as he pulled Annie in for a hug and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

Little over a week later Annie and Auggie were relaxing on the couch. It was Saturday night and Annie had moved her stuff up to Auggie's loft over the past week, and a couple of Auggie's buddies had helped move the furniture she was bringing upstairs and they'd put the rest in the storage area in the basement. A new tenant would be moving into the studio a few days later.

"What are your plans for Christmas?" Annie asked Auggie. They'd spent Thanksgiving with Annie's sister and her family because Auggie was too busy at work to go to Illinois to see his family.

"I should go to Glencoe, I haven't been there since Mom's birthday in May and I miss my family."

"I kind of suspected that," Annie sighed.

"What's wrong? I figured you were going to go see your parents. You and Dani talked about that at Thanksgiving."

"That was then. Dani called me earlier today. Mom and Dad are going on a Caribbean cruise over Christmas, meaning Dani and Michael will be going to his parents. Dani said I'm welcome there, but I don't really know them, I've met them a couple of times and it'll just be awkward. I think I'd rather stay here."

"Annie, you can't spend Christmas here alone. I'll stay here with you."

"No! You go see your family. I'll be fine. It's not like I haven't spent Christmas alone before. At least I'm in the US this year and I can spend it in my home instead of in a hotel room somewhere."

"Annie…"Auggie said in a pleading tone.

"Stop it Auggie. I'll be fine. I'll really be fine. You go to Glencoe, you miss your family and you haven't seen them since May. I don't wanna argue about this."

Auggie let out a deep sigh.

"Okay Annie, you win. I'll go to Glencoe, you stay, but for the record: I don't like it."

"Noted Auggie."

An idea was forming in Auggie's head, he would get Annie to go with him to Glencoe, and he just needed a bit of help from his mother. She was the most persuasive person Auggie knew, she had the ability to get most people to do what she wanted.

* * *

"Hey Auggie, I'm heading over to the deli to pick up some lunch. Do you want something, or are you having lunch with Annie as always?" Stu asked a at lunchtime a couple of days later.

"She's at a meeting with her boss. Um…could you bring me a club sandwich and a bag of salty chips?" Auggie said as he withdrew a neatly folded ten-dollar bill from his wallet.

"Sure," Stu said as he took the bill from Auggie's outstretched hand. "I'll be back with our lunch soon."

"Thanks Stu."

Auggie listened to Stu's footsteps leaving the office and when he heard the door close behind him he picked up the receiver of his desk phone. He quickly dialed his mother's cell phone number. Patricia Anderson picked up on the fourth ring.

"Auggie! How are you? Calling to tell me you're coming home for Christmas I presume?"

"I'm good Mom, and yes I'm coming home for Christmas. Figured I'd spend a couple of weeks. I'll fly in around the 20th and stay 'till after New Year if it's ok."

"That's great Auggie, you know you're always welcome to stay as long as you want."

"I know Mom. I presume that's the case with my girlfriend too?"

"Of course. I'd love to meet Annie. I thought you said she'd be spending Christmas with her parents. What happened?"

"I don't really know, but she told me a couple of days ago that her parents are going on a cruise over Christmas and her sister and her family will be spending the holiday with her sister's husband's parents. She's invited, but she doesn't know them and she's insisting on spending Christmas alone in our apartment. I told her I'd stay here with her, but she insists that I go to Glencoe and because her stubborn streak runs a mile wide I know there's no use in arguing with her."

"Did you invite her to come here with you?"

"No, I thought you should do that. I don't think I'll get anywhere with her. You on the other hand…"

"Why do you think I'll be able to persuade her to go? I don't even know her," Patricia cut in.

"Mom, seriously? You're the most persuasive person I know. I really want to come home for Christmas, I miss all of you, but if Annie insists on spending Christmas in DC I'm staying her with her. I won't let the woman I love spend Christmas alone."

"I know you won't. I raised you better than that. I'll give her a call."

"Thanks Mom. She's at a meeting now, but she said she'd be home before two. I'll be at the office 'till at least four. Can you swing a call sometime between two and four?"

"I think I can manage that. Talk to you later Auggie. Love you.

"Love you too Mom. Thanks." Auggie ended the call and placed the receiver back on the cradle. He hoped his mother's persuasive powers would have the same effect on Annie as they had on him.

* * *

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	9. The invitation

**Thanks again for the reviews and alerts! :o) They feed my muse and your reward is this update. I didn't expect it to happen so quickly, but this just came together so easily. Love it when that happens! :o)**

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* * *

**-9: The invitation-**

When Annie returned from her meeting she dropped by Auggie's office to say hi and give him a kiss before she climbed the stairs to their loft. It was still a bit surreal to her that she was sharing the spacious apartment with Auggie. It was nicer than any of her previous homes, including a well-equipped kitchen and a bathroom with the biggest shower Annie had ever seen and a bathtub. They'd enjoyed some very erotic showers over the months they'd been going out. The thought brought a smile to Annie's face. Auggie was without a doubt the best thing that had ever happened to her. The sound of the landline phone ringing as she opened the front door pulled her out of her reverie. When she heard the caller-id announce "Mom and Dad" she hesitated for a second before answering the phone.

"It's Annie," she said.

"Hi Annie. It's Patricia Anderson, Auggie's mother."

"Hi Mrs. Anderson. Auggie's downstairs at work, I'm sure you'll get a hold of him if you call his office or cell."

"Actually I'm calling to talk to you."

"Oh…" Annie said, unable to hide her surprise. She was wondering what on earth Auggie's mother wanted to talk to her about.

"I'd like to invite you to spend Christmas with us in Glencoe. Auggie told me you're planning on spending the holiday alone in DC and that if you insist on doing that he'll stay with you."

"What? Auggie promised me he'd go to Glencoe. I told him I'd be fine here," Annie said, trying to conceal her surprise. She didn't really succeed.

"Annie, I don't know you, but I do know my son. There's no way he'll let you spend Christmas alone in DC, he just won't. He might have said that to avoid further discussion with you. I'd really like to have my baby home for Christmas and it would be nice to meet you. I know the rest of the family is dying to meet the woman that have Auggie sounding happier than he's been in years. Please come?"

Annie took a deep breath. The pleading voice of Mrs. Anderson and the prospect of spending Christmas with Auggie and his family won her over. It sure beat being alone, even if it was in a nice apartment.

"I'll come. Thanks for inviting me. I guess I'll have to talk to Auggie about the details, I don't know what his plans are."

"He said he wanted to fly out here around the 20th and leave a couple of days after New Year. That way he avoids the worst holiday crowds at the airports. I'm sure he'll appreciate having you to guide him at the airports instead of relying on Travellers Assistance staff. He'll never admit to it, but he's always a bit unnerved when he travels alone and has to rely on strangers."

"Oh, I never thought about that," Annie admitted. Auggie had mentioned something about travel being a challenge for blind people, but he'd never elaborated and Annie hadn't pushed the subject.

"I'll let you get back to your day then. I look forward to meeting you in a couple of weeks."

"Thanks Mrs. Anderson. I look forward to meeting you and the rest of the Andersons. Bye."

"Bye Annie."

* * *

Downstairs Auggie tried to keep focused on the project he was working on, but his mind kept drifting to the conversation between Annie and his mother. He hoped involving his mother was the right move. He knew he could've just asked Annie himself, but she had said she wanted to take things slow and he felt they'd made a major leap when he asked her to move in with him. Asking her to spend Christmas with his big, and sometimes crazy, family so soon felt like pushing it too far. He thought it would be better if the invitation came from his mother than from him. He forced himself to focus and finished the project he was working on. At 3:55 pm he shut down his computer, grabbed his cane and keys and headed upstairs. Stu was still in the office. He smiled at Auggie's eagerness to get out of the office. Before Annie came into his life he'd usually stayed 'till at least six o'clock, sometimes closer to eight or nine at night. Stu was happy to see that Auggie was finally pulling himself out of the bubble he'd lived in for the past few years.

"Honey, I'm home," Auggie called out in a teasing tone as he entered the loft a few minutes later. He folded his cane and put that and his keys in their place on the dresser in the hallway. As he squatted down to untie his shoelaces Annie called out that she was in the kitchen. He made his way down the hallway and soon he heard Annie's footsteps approaching him. She gently touched his slightly outstretched right hand to let him know where she was.

"Hey there," se said as she brushed a kiss to his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"How was your day?" Auggie asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for another kiss.

"Good. Got an interesting phone call from your mother this afternoon. Why didn't you just invite me yourself?"

"I don't know, I promised you that we could take things slow and I felt like I've pushed things so much with asking you to move in and stuff, I figured throwing in spending a couple of weeks in Glencoe with my big family would be taking it a step too far. I hope Mom wasn't too overwhelming."

"Auggie, I think we're a bit past the 'taking it slow' stage by now. We live together and I think it's pretty obvious that we're committed to each other, that we're both in this for the long run. I'd love to spend Christmas with you and your family in Glencoe. I was kind of disappointed when you didn't invite me last night to be honest."

"I guess this is one of the times my disability smacks me in the face," Auggie sighed. "If I'd been able to see your face I probably would've picked up on both your commitment to me and your disappointment last night. I hope you understand how committed I am to you and I'm sorry for not inviting you myself."

"Hey, it's fine. It's kind of my fault too. I forget that you sometimes need some extra verbal cues, since you don't have the benefit of reading the emotions in my eyes and on my face. And yes Auggie, I know how committed you are to me." Annie gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and a small smile crossed his face.

"Do you think you'll be able to swing a couple of weeks off for Christmas?" Auggie asked, changing the subject.

"Shouldn't be a problem. The workload always diminishes over the holidays and I'll bring my laptop in case something urgent comes up. I'll call my boss tomorrow. Anyway, what do you wanna do for dinner? I'm getting hungry."

"Wanna go out? I'm kind of in the mood for some Indian food."

"Sure, that sounds great. Give me a few minutes to freshen up and we'll head down there," Annie said as she turned and headed for the bedroom. "Oh, you've got a coffee stain on your shirt Auggie. You should change it."

"Light colored shirts aren't the brightest idea for a blind guy, huh?" Auggie said with a small laugh as he followed the sound of Annie's footsteps toward the bedroom.

"Put on a dark one. Curry stains are even worse than coffee to get rid of," Annie answered matter-of-factly. Auggie loved how his self-deprecating remarks never seemed to make Annie uncomfortable, she just brushed them off like they were nothing and moved on. He couldn't wait to introduce her to his family.

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	10. The Christmas trip part 1

**So sorry for not updating sooner. Life's just been a little crazy lately and the muse decided to take Memorial Day weekend off. She finally decided to come out and play tonight. It's now 1:15 am and I'm really really tired, but I'm staying awake to get this published for you my dear readers. :o)**

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* * *

**-10: The Christmas trip part 1-**

Annie watched as Auggie carefully went through his closet and put together the clothes he'd be taking to Glencoe. Ever since she met him she'd been in awe of his ability to dress fashionably. She'd yet to see him wearing a mismatched outfit and his clothes fit him perfectly. Annie loved how his tailored shirts, vests and fitted sweaters showed off his toned upper body and narrow waist. She knew his clothes were labeled and he had his closet organized in a specific way. The color palette was neutral and Annie was pretty sure that even if a label fell off or something got misplaced he could get by without looking like a total fashion disaster. It was still a bit a mystery to her how he did his shopping.

"Um…Auggie, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, you know you can ask me whatever you want."

"How do you manage to always look so fashionable? Do you have some sort of personal shopper or something?"

"First; thanks for the compliment. Second; I actually do have a personal shopper. Well sort of. A buddy of mine works at Macy's and he goes through my wardrobe a few times a year and helps me keep it up to date. It's a big help. Without his help it would probably be a total disaster."

"Well, he does a great job. You always look great," Annie said as she pecked him on the cheek and moved over to the closet to pull out her own suitcase and start packing.

As Annie placed her suitcase on her side of the bed Auggie was about finished with his packing. He pulled open a drawer in his dresser, judging by the contents Annie surmised it was sort of a catchall drawer. He felt around for a few seconds and withdrew a folded white cane and placed it in his suitcase.

"What's with the cane?" Annie asked, she'd never seen him change between different canes; he'd always used the same one.

"Oh, just a backup in case something happens to the one I use. I never leave home for longer periods of time without a spare cane. I made that mistake once, the first Memorial Day weekend after I finished my rehab. I spent two weeks in Glencoe visiting my family, and the elastic that holds the sections of the cane together broke the third day I was there. Getting a new one turned out to be quite a challenge because of the holiday. I had to get by without a cane for a couple of days, before I managed to get a hold of my O&M instructor from rehab and she hooked me up with a new one. Fortunately I know my parents' house just as well as my own place, so I can move around freely, but I couldn't go anywhere outside their yard without someone guiding me. Left me feeling very helpless and inept, especially since I was still adjusting and wanted to prove that I could still be independent."

"Oh, didn't think about that. I didn't realize how much you depend on your cane; it's not something I've thought about."

"It's funny you know, " Auggie said with a small laugh as he zipped his suitcase closed. "When they first put a cane in my hand in rehab I hated it. I was very self-conscious about it; felt it drew attention to my disability and me. Now it's my best friend in so many ways, it allows me to move around independently and safely. I know it draws attention to me and it does cause awkward moments, but I got past being self-conscious a long time ago."

"Have you ever considered a guide dog?" Annie asked.

"They talked about it in rehab, but I've never been that fond of dogs to be honest, and as my cane skills improved I decided to stick with that. It's a lot less work to take care of a cane than a dog too. Why? Do you want a dog?" Auggie asked, slightly teasing.

"No, I'm not much of a dog person either. I was just curious," Annie said as she finished packing. They decided to go out for dinner that night, since they were leaving the next morning and neither of them felt like cooking or cleaning up after cooking for that matter.

* * *

"I'm so glad you're coming with me," Auggie said as they settled into their first class seats. He held his left hand out in Annie's direction and she grasped it and gave it a little squeeze. "It's much more enjoyable when I have someone know and trust to guide me."

"I'm glad I'm going too. I'm looking forward to meeting your family."

"I know they'll love you. I spoke with Mom the other day and you must've made a good impression on the phone. She seems to adore you already."

"Oh, well that's good I guess." Annie chuckled. "I hope she likes me in person as well."

"She will. Just a couple of hours now, and you'll meet her."

"She's picking us up?"

"Yep. I told her we could catch a cab, but she insisted, she always does."

"I'd imagine she's eager to see you if you haven't seen each other since May."

"Yeah, that and she's awfully protective of me. I feel kind of bad for not going for Labor Day and Thanksgiving; it was just so busy at work those weeks. I wasn't up for travelling all the way to Chicago just to spend a day or two. With the holiday crowds at the airports it just wasn't worth it."

"Well, they could come to DC and visit if they miss you. To my knowledge you haven't had any family come to see you for as long as I've known you."

"True. I guess it's because they're all in the area, all of my brothers are married, with kids, and they all have pretty demanding jobs. I guess it's easier for me to find the time to go there than the other way around."

"I guess you've got a point there…" Annie mused. The arrival of the flight attendant serving drinks and then their inflight meal interrupted further discussion.

* * *

"Auggie! It's so good to have you here," Patricia Anderson gushed as she pulled her youngest son into a warm embrace.

"It's good to be here Mom, it's been far to long since my last visit," Auggie said as he returned his mothers hug.

"All that matters is that you're here now. Now, are you going to introduce me to this lovely lady?" Patricia said as she let go of her son and turned towards Annie, who had taken a step back, not wishing to intrude on the reunion.

"Mom, meet my girlfriend, Annie Walker. Annie, this is my mother, Patricia."

Annie took a step forward and offered her hand.

"So nice to meet you Mrs. Anderson," she said with a smile. Instead of taking the offered hand Patricia pulled her in for a light hug.

"Nice to meet you too Annie. And please, it's Pat." She stepped back from Annie. "I see you've got your bags already, lets head to the car and get back to Glencoe."

Auggie couldn't help smiling at his mother taking charge of the situation like she always did.

* * *

"So Annie, how did you and Auggie meet?" Patricia asked as Annie helped her set the table for dinner. Auggie was in the family room, catching up with his father.

"It's a really silly story. I was at a diner a few blocks from Auggie's place, having lunch and trying to work a bit too. My laptop started to act up and I guessed I cursed rather loudly about it. Auggie was sitting in the booth behind me and his super-hearing picked it up and he started laughing. I was already fuming, so I went over there to tell him off. He managed to calm me down and offered to take a look at it and see if he could fix it. I promised I'd buy him dinner if he did and the rest is history I guess. He's a really great guy."

"I'm so glad he has finally met someone that has managed to pull him out of the bubble he's been living in for the past few years. Ever since the accident his life has been all about work. After you came into his life that seems to have changed."

"I'm so glad I met him too. For the first time in my life I've settled down somewhere, I've got a fantastic place to live, a full time job and best of all; a great man to share it all with. It feels good."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. Auggie's my baby, I guess he'll always be my little boy and with his circumstances I do worry a bit more about him. It's good to know he's got someone looking out for him back in DC."

Patricia was amazed at the young woman who was folding napkins across the table from her. She was beautiful, intelligent and she obviously cared deeply for her son. Most important of all; she didn't seemed to be fazed one bit about Auggie's blindness; it was like it didn't exist to her. She'd noticed the seamless way Annie provided Auggie with the little assistance he needed, it was like a dance between them. She looked forward to getting to know Annie over the next couple of weeks.

* * *

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	11. The Christmas trip part 2

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* * *

**-11: The Christmas trip part 2-**

"Here ya' go son," Warren Anderson said as he tapped a beer bottle against the back of his Auggie's right hand. He was glad his wife had asked Annie to help her set the table and finish preparing dinner, as it gave him the opportunity to spend some one on one time with his youngest son before the rest of the family arrived over the next couple of days.

"Thanks Dad," Auggie said as he grasped the bottle from his father and smiled.

"How are things going Aug? From what I understand your company is doing pretty well?" Warren said as he sat down on the couch next to his son.

"It's doing very well. I'm actually considering hiring another full time employee. It's a bit too much to do for Stu and me, especially since I've realized that working 10-12 hour days six or seven days a week isn't how I want to live my life."

"Annie has changed things, hasn't she?"

"Yeah, she sure has. I still can't believe my luck to have met her. She's just amazing."

"From the way she looks at you I think the feelings are mutual. I have to admit that I was worried that she was taking advantage of you."

"Why would even think that? And do you have that little faith in my ability to judge people?" Anger flared up in Auggie at his father's words. He didn't know what pissed him off most; if it was the accusations of Annie or that his father had so little faith in his judgment.

"Auggie… Can you blame me for wondering? You're lucky enough to be doing quite well financially, you run a successful company and you own a nice building in a great DC neighborhood. All of a sudden you hook up with a girl with that struggle financially. As much as I trust you judgment you can't deny that your ability to read facial expressions and body language is severely impaired."

Auggie sighed heavily. His father was right, it wasn't like he head the benefit of reading facial expressions or body language anymore, but in general he didn't feel it was that limiting to him.

"I know Dad, but tone of voice tells me a lot of what facial expressions and body language used to. I have to rely more on my hearing now, since I get most of my information from my ears instead of my eyes. Of course there are times when my inability to see people's faces smacks me right in the face, but in general it's not that limiting. Annie was my friend before we moved into a relationship and I trust her implicitly. I have no reason to believe she's taking advantage of me in any way," Auggie said firmly. "I love her Dad. For the first time in years I'm living, not just existing and I have Annie to thank for that."

Warren paused for a few moments, taking in what his son was saying, and then he wrapped his arm around Auggie's shoulders.

"I'm so glad to hear that Auggie. I really am."

"Thanks Dad," Auggie said quietly before draining his beer. "You have another one of these?" he asked, holding out his empty bottle with a small smile, hoping to change the subject and lighten the mood.

"Sure," Warren said, taking the empty bottle from his son and heading to the bar in the corner of the family room to grab fresh bottles for both of them.

* * *

"So Annie how was your first day with the Andersons?" Auggie asked Annie, as they were getting ready for bed late that evening.

"It was nice. Your mom's awesome. I really like her and your dad seems nice too."

"The both like you a lot Annie, they really do. Now you just have to meet the rest of the family."

"I'm sort of nervous about that, I'll probably have a hard time remembering everyone's names."

"You'll do fine. They won't show up all at once. I think it's just my oldest brother, Charles; he goes by Charlie, and his family that's arriving tomorrow. The rest of them will arrive on Christmas Eve."

"Oh ok. Does your family have any special holiday traditions I should be prepared for?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. I don't really think we have anything that's special for this family, but I might be wrong. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm tired. How 'bout we get some sleep, so we're ready for the first part of the family invasion tomorrow?"

Annie yawned and cuddled up to Auggie's side. He wrapped his arm around her and she settled down, resting her head on his shoulder, with her left arm draped across his chest.

"G'night Auggie," she said brushing a kiss to his cheek before settling back down.

"Night," Auggie mumbled, he was already half asleep. The crowds at the airports were more exhausting to him than he let on and within minutes they were both fast asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

Down the hall Patricia and Warren were sitting in their bed, they had a habit of watching a little bit of MSNBC or CNN before going to sleep. As the news ended Warren turned off the TV and placed the remote on his nightstand.

"I'm so glad Auggie's here, it's been far too long since his last visit," Patricia said.

"Me too. And Annie seems nice and Auggie loves her and trusts her implicitly. I have to admit I was a bit concerned that she might be taking advantage of him. He is a 35-year-old bachelor that has done quite well for himself, whilst she's 31 and just now settling down and got a full time job not long ago. I mentioned it to Auggie and he didn't take it well."

"Why would you think that Warren? Auggie knows how to take care of himself and he has always had been a good judge of people."

Warren sighed. He knew his wife was right, but ever since the accident that almost ripped his youngest son away from them he had been fiercely protective of him. Patricia hadn't been the only one with concerns when Auggie insisted on moving back to Washington DC after he'd finished his rehab.

"I know he is, but it's not like he can read facial expressions and body language these days. He told me he can tell just as much from the tone of people's voices, since he's got to rely on his hearing now."

"I'm sure he can. I had Annie to myself for a little while last night and I really like her. She's amazing and she seems just as devoted to Auggie as he is to her."

"I saw that too, and I think they're good for each other. He is realizing there's a life outside work, while he has gotten Annie to settle down. I'm really glad they met each other and I feel bad for second guessing her intentions. It's just that I feel a bit extra protective of Auggie. He is the baby of the family and after we almost lost him I guess I've gotten even more protective."

"Me too honey, me too," Patricia sighed. "But, he's an adult and we have to trust his judgment. It does seem to be spot on with Annie. Now, I'm tired and need some sleep. Good night," she said as she reached over and turned off the lamp on her nightstand.

"Good night Pat," Warren said as he kissed his wife's cheek.

* * *

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	12. The Christmas trip part 3

**Yet again I must thank you for for the reviews & alerts I've received on the previous chapter. :o) As I've said before I haven't had this much fun writing a story for a while.**

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**-12: The Christmas trip part 3-**

When Auggie woke up the following morning it took him a few moments to realize that he was not in DC, but in his childhood home in Glencoe. Annie was breathing calmly and steadily, her head was still resting on his shoulder and her arm was still draped across his chest. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed in the smell of her shampoo and the smell of Annie. He was glad to be home and the fact that he had Annie with him made him even happier. A rap on the door interrupted his thoughts and he could feel Annie stir.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Breakfast in half an hour," his mothers voice came through the door.

"Thanks Mom, we'll be right down." He heard his mothers footsteps move down the hallway and then fading as she walked down the stairs.

"Auggie…" Annie mumbled sleepily.

"Hey…sleep well?" Auggie asked as he tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Uhuh…did I hear the word breakfast?"

"Yep, Mom said breakfast will be ready in about half an hour. You don't wanna miss out on Patricia Anderson's omelet."

"Half an hour? Guess I'd better hurry then," Annie said, extracting herself from Auggie's arms, sitting up in bed.

"Hey, no need to rush. We always have breakfast in our PJ's during the holidays. Just pull a sweatshirt over your camisole and you're good to go," Auggie replied as he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"I didn't bring a sweatshirt," Annie sighed. She hadn't thought she'd have the use for sweats, now she silently cursed for not asking Auggie more about what to bring.

"Well, I guess I'll have to come to the rescue." Auggie crossed the room and opened a drawer in the dresser. After rummaging around for a few seconds he extracted two faded Northwestern sweatshirts and tossed one in Annie's direction. "Here, you'll blend in with the natives," he said with a smirk as he pulled the other one over his head.

"Thanks," Annie said as she grabbed the sweatshirt and pulled it on. She was glad she'd brought flannel sleep pants. A giggle escaped her when she glanced over at Auggie.

"What?" he asked.

"I just realized we're both wearing plaid flannel sleep pants and Northwestern sweatshirts. It looks kind of silly."

"Lost on me babe, gotta take your word for it," Auggie said with a laugh as he headed to the bathroom to splash some water on his face and brush his teeth.

* * *

"Here you go Auggie. Omelet at six, bacon at ten and toast at two o'clock," Patricia said as she placed a plate in front of her youngest son. "Fork and napkin to the right of your plate."

"Thanks Mom," Auggie said as he snaked his hand forward and located his fork. He picked it up and started eating. "This is really good," he said a few mouthfuls later. "Just like always."

Annie couldn't help smiling when she saw the content look and smile on Auggie's face as he ate his breakfast. It was obvious that he was happy to be there.

"Who's arriving when?" Auggie asked after they'd finished eating. "It's just Charlie and his family today, right?"

"That's right. Your other brothers and their families will arrive tomorrow, in the afternoon. Charlie said they'd be here around six tonight. We'll have dinner around seven. Do you have any plans for the day?" Patricia asked.

"Sounds good. We don't have any plans, didn't wanna make any without checking what you might have planned for us."

"We haven't made any plans for today except for the dinner tonight."

"Okay then. I guess I'll take Annie on a guided tour of the area then. A walk in fresh air might do us both good. Are the sidewalks clear of ice?"

"Pretty much, there are patches here an there, so be cautious," Warren advised.

"I always am Dad. So, Annie, would you like to see the neighborhood?"

"That would be great. I guess we'd better hit the shower and get dressed," Annie said as she gathered their plates and cutlery.

"Just leave it Annie," Patricia said. "I'll take care of it."

"Oh, thanks. Please don't hesitate to ask if you want me to help, I'd be happy to."

"Don't worry, you'll both be put to work soon enough."

"I don't doubt that for a second Mom. Annie, let's get out of here before Mom changes her mind," Auggie said as he stood for his seat and held his hand out in Annie's direction. She grasped it and they headed upstairs to get ready.

* * *

"Wow, this town is nice," Annie said as they walked the streets towards downtown Glencoe. "Looks like a great place to grow up."

"It was. Although the adventurous part of me did find this sleepy suburb boring at times, that's why I moved to DC after I graduated from college."

"I can imagine that, but I kind of envy you. I wish my family had settled down somewhere for a longer period of time. I've lost touch with most of my childhood friends. I've found a few on Facebook, but living somewhere for a year or two didn't result in lasting friendships."

"I'm still pretty close to some of my childhood friends, I hope we manage to get together with them while we're here. Most of them still live in the area."

"I'd like to meet them too," Annie said, pulling herself closer to Auggie, who let go of her elbow and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They walked in comfortable silence like that for a while.

"Uh…there should be a Starbucks coming up on the right. Wanna go in for a latte?" Auggie asked a few minutes later, as they walked down Vernon Avenue.

"I can see it, it's just across the intersection. I do need something to warm my inside."

Auggie moved his hand so he was holding her elbow again as they entered the Starbucks.

* * *

Ten minutes later they were settled down at a table in the back of the coffee shop, enjoying lattes and chocolate croissants, chatting about what they would do in the week between Christmas and New Year. A hand on Auggie's shoulder startled him slightly.

"Auggie Anderson! Long time no see."

The voice was slightly familiar, but he couldn't remember whom it belonged too. He hated these awkward moments; it was obviously someone he knew that hadn't heard about the accident.

"I'm sorry, your voice is familiar, but I can't place it," Auggie said, grasping his folded cane from the chair next to him, holding it in the man's general direction.

"Oh…uh… Auggie, I'm sorry. I forgot. It's Shawn McGarrity."

A broad smile spread across Auggie's face and he stood up, extending his hand in Shawn's direction.

"Shawn! It's been way too long. How are you?"

Shawn grasped his hand and pulled him into a half hug.

"I'm good. Visiting my family for the holidays. How 'bout you?"

"I'm good. Are you here alone? Please join us," Auggie said as he sat back down, relieved that Shawn didn't get awkward. They had seen each other a couple of times right after Auggie finished his rehab, but that was over four years ago.

"Thanks Auggie, I'll be right back, just have to grab a cup of coffee." Auggie heard his footsteps leaving.

"Who's that?" Annie asked.

"Sheesh Annie, I'm sorry. I was so surprised to run into Shawn that I completely forgot my manners. Shawn and I were on the wrestling and cross-country teams together all through high school. We were pretty close, had a lot of fun back in the day. Last time I met him he lived in Houston."

A few minutes later Shane returned with a mug of coffee and settled down on the free chair.

"Shawn, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Annie Walker."

"Nice to meet you Annie," Shawn said, extending his hand toward Annie.

"Likewise," she said as she shook his hand. "Fun to meet one of Auggie's old friends."

"So, what are you up to these days?" Auggie asked Shawn after introductions were made.

"I still live down in Houston and work for NASA. Same old I guess. Do you still live in DC?"

"Yeah, same old here too I guess. Same job, same apartment, Annie's the only new thing in my life. Are you seeing anyone?"

"Nope, not at the moment. I just came out of a long-term relationship; I'm enjoying single life for a bit. How long have you two been together?"

"We met back in June, we've been going out for about four months now."

"So, what do you do for a living Annie?"

"I'm a linguist and work as a translator."

"You like to travel then?"

"I love to travel, I've travelled a lot since I graduated college. Auggie got me to settle down for the first time in my life."

"Seems like you're lucky to have met each other," Shawn said with a smile. "Listen, as much as I'd love to stay here and catch up all day I've got to get going. I'm running some errands for Mom. How long are you here for?"

"We fly back to DC January 4th, so we're here for another couple of weeks. How long are you here for?"

"I haven't booked my return flight yet, but I'll be here 'till after New Year too. Why don't we get together one day?"

"That would be great," Auggie said as he got his wallet out of his pocket and withdrew a business card from it. "Here's my card, my cell number is on there. Give me a call after Christmas, okay?"

"Will do. Here's my card, I know it doesn't do you much good, but I'm sure Annie can help you with it, right?" Shawn said as he placed the card in Auggie's outstretched hand.

"Thanks Shawn, " Auggie said as he placed the card in his wallet.

"Well, I've really gotta get going. See you later," he said as he got up from his chair.

"Lookin' forward to it," Auggie said, standing up and extending his hand. Shawn shook it firmly before he turned to leave. Auggie sat back down.

"Want another latte?" he asked Annie. "Or do you wanna head back to the house?"

"Another latte sounds good to me, if we have the time."

"There's no rush to get back. As long as we're there when Charlie arrives at six it's fine."

"I'll go grab us some more coffee then," Annie said as she grabbed her wallet out of her purse and stood up. She planted a gentle kiss on Auggie's cheek and headed for the counter. She had a feeling this was going to be one of the best Christmases she'd ever had. Auggie had similar thoughts running through his mind.

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**Yet again I'm going to not-so-subtly encourage you to push the blue button below! :o)**

**Let me know what you think and that you're still onboard, please. **


	13. Returning to DC

**Sorry for leaving this hanging for so long, I've been struggling to get this chapter together and my muse got distracted by "Miracle". **

**Still eagerly counting down for season 3 - love all the interviews, pictures and videos that are showing up as the premiere is getting closer :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: Still don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs. Just my own storyline.**

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**-Returning to D.C.-**

The Monday after New Year Annie and Auggie arrived back in DC. As much as they'd both enjoyed the time they'd spent in Glencoe with Auggie's family they were both glad to get back home and back to their normal routine with just the two of them. The two weeks they'd spent there had been filled with family gatherings and getting together with Auggie's friends there. They'd barely had any downtime alone, just the two of them. As they waited for their luggage to arrive on the carousel Auggie leaned on his cane and sighed heavily.

"Hey, you okay?" Annie asked with concern lacing her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just have a headache from the flight."

Annie wrapped her arms around Auggie's left arm and moved closer to him.

"That was the flight from hell, wasn't it?" she asked. The flight had been filled with crying babies and fuzzy toddlers from start to finish. The curtain between first class and coach hadn't shielded them from any of the noise and Annie had noticed that Auggie looked tense through most of it.

"I have some Tylenol and a bottle of water in my bag, do you want some?"

Auggie perked up a little bit.

"You do? A couple of Tylenol would be great, I might be able to avoid it developing into a full blown migraine."

He heard Annie digging around in her bag for a few seconds.

"Hold out your hand," she said. Auggie obliged and soon felt a couple of pills being placed in his palm. He tipped the pills into his mouth, swallowed and held his hand out for the water bottle. Annie placed it in his outstretched hand and he downed the rest of it.

"Thanks for having my back Annie," Auggie said as she wrapped her arms around his left arm again.

"Any day Aug," Annie replied, placing a peck on his cheek.

* * *

Annie let a contented sigh escape her as she stashed her suitcase away in the storage closet after unpacking. The sound didn't escape Auggie's sharp hearing.

"What's that? Anything wrong? You got a headache too?"

"Nope, I'm just a bit tired and happy to be home. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time with your family, but we've barely had time alone and I missed that."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I feel the same way. I like being there and spending time with them is great, but it's a bit exhausting, there are so many conversations going on and so much activity all the time. I really have to stay alert and pay close attention all the time to keep track of everything that's going on. It's one of the settings where being blind is a more than the inconvenience I usually see it as, it's a damn pain in the ass."

"I totally understand, I struggled to keep track of everything myself. It was damn near impossible at times. I liked it though. Very different from my small family."

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I love my big family, but they do get kind of overwhelming at times. Especially when all of the kids are there too."

"Yeah, it's easier to deal with just Chloe and Katia," Annie laughed. "At least compared to your heard of nieces and nephews."

"Tell me about it," Auggie said, shaking his head. "Are you about ready to go to bed? I know it's only 9:30 pm, but I'm absolutely knackered and the headache is still there."

"I don't mind going to bed early, the flight wore me out too. Are you working tomorrow?"

"I'll probably go down and say hi to Stu and check if there's something urgent waiting for me, but I'm not setting my alarm clock and I don't plan on pulling a full day."

"Good," Annie said as they climbed into the bed and snuggled together under the covers.

* * *

When Auggie woke up the following morning the pounding in his head hadn't subsided. It was far from a full-blown migraine, but he felt like crap and getting out of best wasn't high on his list. He felt Annie stirring in his arms and she turned to face him.

"Hey there," she whispered, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Mornin," Auggie mumbled.

"Auggie, are you okay? You don't look too well."

"Still have a headache and I generally feel like crap. I'm seriously thinking about staying in bed today."

"Maybe you should take something stronger than Tylenol? I think I've seen something in the medicine cabinet, right?"

"Just not sure I want to take migraine meds, it's not really bad enough to warrant that and I don't like to take medication unless I really need it."

"Maybe you should eat something? I know I'm kind of hungry."

"I know I should. I just don't feel like eating, but if you fix something I'll try to eat a little bit."

"Okay then. If there's nothing I can get you right now I'll get up and make breakfast," Annie said Auggie released his hold on her and she sat up in bed.

"If you don't mind I'll stay here 'till it's ready."

"No problem. I'll let you know when it's done."

"Thanks Annie," Auggie said with a small smile as he let his head back into his soft down pillow.

* * *

An hour later Annie settled down by her computer in the guest room, while Auggie was back in bed. He'd called down and talked to Stu and he'd assured him he'd manage without him without problems until he was feeling better. Annie's inbox had filled up with a few translation assignments and she dove eagerly into her work. It felt good to settle back to her normal routine, even if she'd enjoyed the downtime with Auggie's family.

In the bedroom Auggie was slumbering, he cursed the damn migraines. He'd had them from time to time his entire life, and in the first couple of years after the accident they'd been frequent and they often left him unable to function at all. As time passed they'd become less frequent and severe. He knew that getting enough sleep and eating regularly was the key to keeping them in check, something he'd not always been good at in the past. Too often he'd been so immersed in his work that he hadn't realized that he was hungry or that it was getting late until the pounding in his head started and the only resolve was migraine medication and sleep. Thanks to Annie he tried keep his work hours limited to a maximum of 10 hours a day and he usually had a long lunch break with her in the middle of the day. This was his first migraine after Annie entered his life, but it wasn't a big one and he was fairly certain that he'd be fine in the morning. He was glad to have Annie there, over the past few weeks he'd come to realize that her care and affection was something he'd been subconsciously longing for, but he hadn't allowed himself to hope to have it in his life. He'd never thought that a woman like Annie would want to be with someone like him and her unconditional acceptance of him and his disability was still sort of surreal to him. It was only over the past few weeks he'd allowed himself to fully believe it and the more he thought about it the more certain he was that he didn't want to let Annie out of his life. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

_-The end-_

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**Yes, I'm ending it here. At least for now, the muse is done with this story.  
****I just think it's better to call it done than to leave it hanging indefinitely.  
**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think. :o)**


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